USS Texas (BB-35)

USS Texas (BB-35) was a New York-class battleship of the United States Navy, notable for its extensive service across both World War I and World War II. Commissioned in 1914, it was the first American battleship to mount anti-aircraft guns and the first to control gunfire with directors and rangekeepers. After a distinguished combat career, it was decommissioned in 1948 and became the first permanent museum ship in the United States, now berthed at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site.

Design and description

The New York-class battleship design represented a significant evolution from the preceding Wyoming class, primarily through the adoption of a new main battery. *Texas* and its sister ship, USS New York (BB-34), were the first American dreadnoughts armed with 14-inch/45-caliber guns, mounted in five twin gun turrets. Its armored belt ranged from 6.5 to 12 inches thick, and the vessel was powered by coal-fired vertical triple expansion engines, a conservative choice that limited its top speed compared to contemporary foreign designs. The ship's profile was dominated by two cage masts and a distinctive clipper bow, and it carried a secondary battery of 5-inch/51-caliber guns for defense against torpedo boats.

Construction and commissioning

The contract for the vessel was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia on 17 December 1910, with its keel laying ceremony occurring on 17 April 1911. Sponsored by Miss Claudia Lyon, the daughter of a prominent Texas congressman, the ship was launched on 18 May 1912. Following fitting-out, it was placed in commission on 12 March 1914 under the command of Captain Albert W. Grant. Its shakedown cruise took it to ports in Europe, including Queenstown in Ireland and Cherbourg in France, before it joined the Atlantic Fleet.

Service history

Initial service involved routine training exercises with the Atlantic Fleet and patrols off the East Coast of the United States. In 1914, during the United States occupation of Veracruz, *Texas* was dispatched to Mexican waters to support American forces, though it saw no combat. When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, the battleship was initially tasked with training gun crews along the Atlantic coast. In 1918, it was assigned to Battleship Division 9 of the British Grand Fleet, operating from Scapa Flow to conduct convoy escort duties and patrol the North Sea, though it did not engage the German High Seas Fleet before the Armistice of 11 November 1918.

World War II

During the Second World War, *Texas* served primarily in the Atlantic Theater, conducting convoy escort missions and Naval gunfire support for major amphibious assaults. It provided critical fire support during Operation Torch in North Africa, the Normandy landings at Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc, and the later Operation Dragoon in Southern France. Transferred to the Pacific Theater of Operations, it supported the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, where it sustained damage from a Japanese artillery shell and a kamikaze attack. The ship earned five battle stars for its World War II service.

Museum ship

Decommissioned on 21 April 1948, *Texas* was transferred to the state of Texas to serve as a museum ship. On 17 September 1948, it was formally dedicated at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site near Houston, becoming the first permanent battleship museum in the nation. The ship is maintained by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and has undergone several major dry dock repairs, including a significant hull restoration project in the 2020s, to preserve it for future generations. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976. Category:Museum ships in Texas Category:New York-class battleships Category:Ships built in Newport News, Virginia Category:World War I battleships of the United States Category:World War II battleships of the United States